Emotional responses to a global stressor: Average patterns and individual differences

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Sociology
• Public Health

Background:

• Major stressors significantly impact emotional well-being, increasing negative and decreasing positive emotions.
• Conflicting theories exist regarding the duration and extent of emotional recovery following adversity.
• Resilience theory suggests a return to baseline emotional levels, but empirical evidence is debated.

Purpose of the Study:

• To rigorously test resilience theory by examining emotional trajectories during the initial six months of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• To investigate average emotional changes and individual differences in response to a major, prolonged stressor.
• To identify predictors of emotional well-being trajectories during a global health crisis.

Main Methods:

• Conducted two pre-registered longitudinal studies with a total of 1147 participants.
• Collected data across 13 waves from February to September 2020, tracking emotional well-being.
• Analyzed average emotional trajectories and individual differences in response to pandemic-related stressors.

Main Results:

• The COVID-19 pandemic immediately decreased average emotional well-being.
• Average negative emotions returned to baseline levels within six months, with rapid initial improvement.
• Positive emotions remained significantly depleted compared to baseline, indicating limited typical resilience.

Conclusions:

• Typical resilience may not fully restore positive emotional well-being after major stressors.
• Individual differences in emotional trajectories are substantial and influenced by socio-demographics and stressor exposure.
• Findings necessitate more nuanced approaches to understanding and supporting emotional well-being during and after crises.